Chorus of the Dead

Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Ere her limbs frigidly

Stiffen too rigidly,

Decently, kindly,

Margaret took her brother's arm as they walked down the main street that would eventually lead them to the manor. Ainsley had offered to hire a carriage but Margaret refused. She was just as fond of walking as he was, besides she reasoned, it would give her a better opportunity to assess exactly what they were both up against.

"Where were you this afternoon?" she asked falling into step beside him.

"I was visiting Miss Dawson, the midwife, and finding out some rather astonishing facts about the Lloyd family." He was looking at his shoes as he walked before lifting his face up into the gray sky. There was a marked chill in the air, and the clouds threatened snow.

"Oh?" Margaret perked up at the idea of small town gossip. It always seemed more interesting than any scandal that could be found in London. "What could be more scandalous than a convoluted murder plot?"

"Josephine Lloyd is not Mrs. Lloyd's child."

Margaret stopped abruptly and watched her brother take one more step ahead of her before turning. "Josephine belongs to Miss Dawson then?" she asked, knowing the answer already. "By whom? Not Walter Lloyd?"

Ainsley gave a nod and Margaret struggled to keep her composure. There were even less people on this portion of the road but even still Margaret dared not draw any unwanted attention. Ainsley offered his arm once again and Margaret stepped toward him, pulling her fur-lined cape tighter across her shoulders and chest.

"Are you sure?" she asked in a hushed tone.

"Miss Dawson confessed as much."

Margaret bit her lip, trying to suppress her next question without effect. "Was she taken by force?" she asked, not sure she could feel sympathy for the now dead man if Miss Dawson had been raped.

"No, thank goodness," Ainsley breathed. "It is widely known that Walter had many affairs of his own, though I confess I did not know with whom until now."

"I cannot believe Mrs. Lloyd would agree to raise the child as her own."

"It was her idea, or so I have been told."

Margaret could not fathom a cheated spouse willingly agreeing to raise a child born by her husband's mistress, at least not without resenting the child for being a daily reminder of her husband's infidelity. Quickly her mind turned to her own parents, and her mother's lover. Perhaps she was not truly Ainsley's sister? Or worse, perhaps Ainsley was not their father's son and that is why they despised each other so much? Margaret shuttered at the thought and quickly brought her mind back to the mystery at hand. "There's a strong motive for murder then," she said, forcing her thoughts to remain linear.

"My thoughts exactly."

"But why Lillian then?"

"That I cannot tell."

"Perhaps she is from another mother as well, another of Mr. Lloyd's mistresses," Margaret offered. "No doubt she took on the children and continued the charade to save the family from scandal."

"Murder is a greater scandal than any other I can fathom. Why protect the family then expose it to the deepest ridicule?"

"I imagine it became too much for her. Her husband, the source of her shame is dead, why should she pretend." Margaret felt a chill as they walked and she clung closer to Ainsley's side. "What about Lillian then? Will you confront Mrs. Lloyd?" Margaret looked to Ainsley, who seemed to be avoiding her gaze. He stared straight ahead.